Australia: Victorian barley is a benefit for growers in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland

Fitzroy* - a new Victorian-bred, high-yielding variety of malting barley - is set carve a place in northern grains region cropping programs, according to Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) barley industry development officer, Kym McIntyre, Seed Quest reported May 14.

"Extensive testing has shown Fitzroy* has significant yield and disease resistance advantages over the current popular malting varieties Gairdner* and Grimmett for both northern New South Wales and southern Queensland," Ms McIntyre said.

"It is best suited to the domestic brewing markets and that's why the Lion Nathan Brewing Group, along with Joe White Maltings have been running commercial malting and brewing trials for the past two years."

[Photo (left): Peter Healy, Lion Nathan technical manager, Kym McIntyre Queensland DPI&F barley industry development officer and Angus Woods, Woods Grain, Goondiwindi toast the release of Fitzroy barley.]

Fitzroy* was bred by the Department of Primary Industries Victoria (DPIV) and evaluated in the north eastern Australia cropping zones by the QDPI&F and New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) through the Northern Region Barley Improvement Program.

"The excellent collaboration of the various organisations involved in the evaluation was a major influence the naming of this variety," Ms McIntyre said.

Fitzroy* was named after the Australian Football League club "Fitzroy Lions" which successfully migrated to Queensland and was launched recently at Lion's Castlemaine Perkins Brewery in Brisbane.

"Fitzroy* has a good fit through the higher rainfall parts of the region and should be an excellent companion to Grout barley also recently released," Ms McIntyre said.

"Grout is quick maturing and has been an exceptional performer in the western parts of the region and in late planting or double cropping options.

"Fitzroy* fits well as a medium to late maturing variety for the eastern parts of the region, together they give growers a excellent choice. Grout however is still undergoing malt evaluation and is therefore a feed variety."

She said Fitzroy* offered growers a significant yield advantage over current malting varieties in the northern region, combined with improved foliar disease resistance and improved malting and brewing characteristics for the domestic industry.

"Fitzroy* is now being widely promoted in northern NSW and southern Queensland as one of the preferred malting varieties for the domestic brewing industry.

"Given the high yield, good disease resistance and improved grain size of Fitzroy* and Grout they will quickly achieve a high market share within the region and will dominate production."

Good stocks of both Fitzroy* and Grout are available for 2007 planting through AWB Seeds.

*Varieties displaying this symbol beside them are protected under the Plant Breeders Rights Act 1994.

25 May, 2007